Measurements of Indoor Radon Concentrations in Selected Educational Institutions and Homes in Jericho City - Palestine

Abstract

In this study, the indoor radon concentrations (CRn), and other radiological effects on some educational institutions and homes in Jericho city, Palestine were investigated. Nuclear track detector type CR-39 (SSNTD) was used to measure track density of alpha particles emitted from radon and its progeny. The radon concentrations in the corresponding buildings have been found to vary from 27.8 to 962, 20.5 to 391 and 43.8 to177 Bqm-3; with average values of 142.5, 97.6 and 110.0 Bqm-3 in Al-Istiqlal University, schools, and homes and kindergarten, respectively. The highest and lowest of radon concentrations were found in the first and second floor, respectively. The indoor concentration of radon in many rooms was considerably higher than the levels prescribed by WHO (100 Bqm-3) and UNSCEAR (40 Bqm-3). The total average values of the annual effective dose in the studied educational institutions and homes are 3.05 mSvy–1. This value is within the action level of 3-10 mSvy–1 recommended by ICRP (1993), but it is higher than the global average of 1.15 mSvy–1 as recommended by UNSCEAR (2000). Thus, according to the annual exposure dose data, the students and inhabitance are not safe in most of the rooms from radiation point of view. The average of LCC risk for different rooms in the area under investigation varies from 21.2 person per million per year to 123.5 person per million per year with a total average value of 55.0 person per million per year.